With the release of her new fragrance and still glowing from the birth of her daughter, Halle Berry tells Bazaar why nothing can burst her bubble. Click here to see pictures from Halle's cover shoot.

One doesn't want to enter the Berry/Aubry residence in Los Angeles feeling less than fantastic. Because the image that greets you — by the pristine pool, past the vegetable garden, and under a blazing blue sky — could be detrimental to one's self image. Halle, 42, and her partner, model Gabriel Aubry, who met on a Versace shoot in 2005, and baby Nahla are, to quote that great fashion sage Derek Zoolander, "really, really, really good-looking."

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Gabriel, carrying Nahla, bids adieu, while Halle, relaxed in a long black jersey dress, retires to the art-filled pool house to talk.

HB: Having a baby takes so much from you. It's the most glorious thing you'll ever do, but the aftermath is not so glorious! So now I'm having to exercise, eat a little bit differently, take a lot more vitamins.

LB: Do you ever go on a food binge?

HB: I like Doritos. I'm usually watching The Biggest Loser eating Doritos.

LB: What do you think of actresses who say they don't work at staying slinky?

HB: God bless them if they're telling the truth. It's questionable if they are. I always had to diet. I'm diabetic, so it's a lifestyle for me anyway just to stay healthy and not end up in the hospital.

LB: What works for you fashionwise?

HB: I'm not the girl for superhigh fashion because I don't have the right body. When I want to get dressed up, I'm a Roberto Cavalli girl. Also, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Calvin Klein ...

LB: You once wrote that the only wardrobe you need for sex is a tank top and pumps. Do you still maintain that?

HB: Oh, yes. Any pumps! You just need length to your legs.

LB: Okay, U-turn. Did you and Gabriel go to the inauguration?

HB: Gabriel was working in Milan. He committed to doing it before this came up, and he kept his word. That's one of the things I love about him. The inauguration was amazing — being there with people from different races and walks of life. I saw people talking who, before Obama, would never sit down and have a conversation.

LB: You, Obama, and Nahla are biracial. What does that mean to you?

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

HB: Nahla will grow up in a completely different America. Obama is someone who's more like her than not, who shares her history. Hopefully she'll grow up in a world where it'll be easier than I had it. I had a rough time. I was accused of stuffing the ballot box for my high school prom-queen election because they couldn't believe the only black girl in the school won.

LB: Does having a fulfilling family life decrease your desire to work?

HB: I used to work a lot because I had nothing better to do. What I've learned, especially by having a baby, is that you can't bring that stuff home anymore. For example, I was alone filming Monster's Ball. I was married to someone else, and he wasn't really around much. Thank God that was only a 20-day shoot.

LB: With your fragrance, Halle by Halle Berry, you are selling the essence of yourself. How will women respond?

HB: I think there's a certain level of trust that I have with women. I've always been honest, even when I haven't had good times in my life or my movie bombed or I've had great success. I've owned up to all of it. I've said, Hey, this is who I am; take me or leave me. I'm pretty simple and pretty natural. I'm not one of these people who wear a face full of makeup so I look like I have on a mask. What you see is what you get.

LB: How is this reflected in the scent?

HB: I wanted it to smell like fig and mimosa. Well, it's not quite that simple! I thought, Oh, God, I have to add something else because the worst thing is when you put a fragrance on and an hour later it's gone. So I had to then add other smells to try to give a well-rounded product.

LB: What's your next project?

HB: There's this movie called Nappily Ever After. It's beautiful, funny, but has a deep message about women. Women slave for their hair! It's all about how we compare ourselves to other women, how we size ourselves up. It's a look at this one woman's life, and she goes through this metamorphosis when she gets rid of her hair. Not only does she feel different, but people treat her differently. She's now more like an alien than the hottest chick on the block. She's got to reboot and discover who she really is.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

LB: For the role, do you plan to shave your head on camera?

HB: Yes. I'm scared to death. I just hope my reaction fits into the story. If it's uncontrollable screaming, it might be a different type of movie.

LB: What are your guilty pleasures?

HB: Very boring, but I buy baby clothes online. Nahla can't wear all the clothes I've bought, and we don't go anywhere because I can't deal with the paparazzi. Gabriel's always like, "She doesn't even leave the house! Halle, you've got to stop."

LB: Nahla is a beautiful girl — amazing, given her challenged parents.

HB: Let her be sweet because I believe beauty is as beauty does. My hope is that she is sweet and kind because no matter how beautiful you are, ugly ain't cute.

LB: Would you ever get married again?

HB: No. I'm done. Also, I happened to find a person who feels done too, and he's never even been married before. So it works.

LB: More children?

HB: Yes. My pregnancy was amazing. I was happy that whole time, I felt good, I had energy, I was like Superwoman. I wish I could feel like that for the rest of my life, that's how fantastic it was.

LB: Last year was kind of super for women in Hollywood too.

HB: It really was. As a woman, when you embrace where you are in life, then I think the struggle isn't so hard. If you're 42 and still think you're an ingenue, then you've got a problem.

HB: I just want to be home for a while and swim in the pool, and I love to garden. I thought, Wouldn't it be great when Nahla can run out here and pick fresh fruit right in our own backyard? [Points to veggie patch.] We have an apple tree, a plum tree, a pear tree ...

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

LB: Gabriel plays golf. Do you?

HB: The only reason I learned is for love. I was like, I'm not golfing; that's the boringest thing in the world. Then we only went a couple times and I realized, Oh, this isn't the boringest thing in the world. It's really fun and a good way to spend time with him.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Harper's BAZAAR participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means Harper's BAZAAR gets paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites.